Apparatus for twisting and reeling material



Pd). 6, 1940. v JOHNSON 2,189,314

APPARATUS FOR TWISTING AND REELING MATERIAL Filed Dec. 13, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN l/E/VTOF? F. l/ JOHNSON-05654550 L. 7? JOHN$0/V-EXECU77P/X B Y I A 7 TORNE) Feb. 6, 1940. F. v. JOHNSON APPARATUS FOR TWISTING AND REELING MATERIAL Filed Dec. 13, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 lA/VENTOR F l/. JOHNSON-DECEASED L.7' JOHNSON-EXECUT/P/X Ewan/W Feb. 6, 1940. F. v. JOHNSON APPARATUS FOR TWISTING AND REELING MATERIAL Filed Dec 13, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 lll'll m on Q 3 I I l I II N H msf 7 m NDN 0 A a WW v wja ML F F. v. JOHNSON 2,189,314

APPARATUS FOR TWISTING AND REELING MATERIAL Filed Dec. 15, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 6, 1940.

E 1 .mmvso/vwscs/weo L. 7. JOHNSON-EXECl/TR/X TOR/VF) Patented Feb, 6, 1940 APPARATUS FOR TWISTING AND REELING MATERIAL Fred V. ohnson, deceased, late of Baltimore, Md., by Lila T. Johnson, executrix, Baltimore Mi, assignor to Western Electric Company, lncor- 'porated, New York, N.

York

Y., a corporation of .New

Application December 13, 1938, .Serial No. 245,541

12 Claims.

I This inventionrelates to apparatus for twisting" and'reeling material and more particularly to apparatus for reeling .material under a predetermined tension and simultaneously imparting a spiral twist to the material being-reeled. It is an object of the present invention to providea simple and efiicient apparatus for twisting and reeling material.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a reel cradle for rotatably supporting a reel and designed to be rotated about an axis at right angles to the axis of the rotation 'of the reel while i the reel, during its rotation in the cradle, may be shifted transversely of the axis of rotation of the cradle to distribute the material'being reeled and twisted onto the reel. The drive for the reel-cradle is positive, whereas the drive for thereel mounted on the cradle may be regulated by a walking gear, which travels about an idler when sufficient braking force is appliedto the idler, and in so traveling, will drive the reel. When the tension on the reel reaches a predetermined value, the brake will tend to slip, thereby maintaining constant tension on the material being wound. U

' A better understanding of I the inventionmay be had by reference'to the following detail description when considered in conjunction with e the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of a twisting takeup mechanism made in accordance with the present in vention and adapted for use in conjunction with mechanism for assemblingfour wires spaced one I from another by a plurality of spacers positioned between them at regular intervals throughout the length of wires;

. Fig. 2 is .a side elevational view of the twisting takeup mechanism shown in Fig. 1, part of the view being cut away to conserve space;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, of the twisting takeup mechanism, as viewed along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows; f Fig.5 is a. fragmentary vertical sectional view taken'on the line 5-5 ofFig. Bin the direction of the arrows on a somewhat reduced scale;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66' of Fig. 4 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-9! of 'Fig. 6 in the directionof the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view takencn the lineS-B of Fig. 4 in the direction'of the Fig. 9 isan enlarged view of a cable of the type whichis handled by the apparatus shown in the otherviews; and

Fig. 10. is an enlarged sectional view taken through the cable shown .in Fig; 19, the section being enlargedandthe dimensions ofsome-of the parts being exaggerated to show themumore clearly. I

Referring. to the drawings, wherein like parts have been assigned like reference numerals, Figs. 1 and 2 show generally the takeup end of a cable manufacturing machine in which a cable 20, such as is shown in Figs. 9 and 10, may be made. It will be noted that the cable 20 comprises four wires2 l, 22, 23 and 24 wedged into slots '25, 26, 21 and 2.8, respectively, in spacers 29and sheathed with overlapping layers of conducting and insulating material 30, 3 I, 32, 33 and 34 appliedtheree toin tape form and wrapped spirally thereon.

The wires and spacersareassembledby suitable mechanism (not shown) positioned to the left of to ironing rollers 40-40, which engage in the slots in the spacers and serve .toholdthe assenithe apparatus shown in Fig.1 and are directed bled wires and'spacers from rotating about the M. An understanding of'the details of constructionof the tapingheads is not necessary to an understanding of the present invention, and. .40

therefore it will'sufiice to say that the tapes are applied to the cable while the twist is being imparted toit, thecablebeing drawn through the various taping heads by' the reel 41. i a

The apparatus for twisting and reeling the cable 20 is driven by a motor 50 (Fig. 1'), mounted upon a suitable framework 51, and driving a chain 52, which drives a sprocket 53 mounted upon an auxiliary drive shaft 54. The auxiliary drive shaft 54" carries a gear 55, which meshes with a gear 56 mounted upon a main drive shaft 51. The auxiliary "drive shaft 54, as is shown in I Fig. 1, drives two of the taping heads, whereas the takeup and twisting mechanism and the other taping head-are drivenrfrom the main drive shaft 51. The reel M :is mounted in a cradle 15' in a bled spacers andwires-are directed 'tothe reel manner to be explained hereinafter. The cradle 15 has a tubular projection 16 extending to the left therefrom (Fig. 3) on which the entire cradle and its associated parts are mounted. The tubular projection 16 is mounted to rotate within a bearing 11 mounted upon a standard 18. The left end (Fig. 3) of the projection'16has a guide member 19 threaded therein for guiding the completed cable 20 to the takeup reel 4| on the cradle 15. Fixed to the cradle 15 is a sprocket 02 adapted to be driven by a chain 83. The chain 83, in the embodiment of the invention shown, is driven by a sprocket mounted on the end of a shaft 84 (Fig. 1) suitably journalledin the-supporting framework 5|. The shaft 84 carries, at its left end (Fig. l), a gear 85,which meshes with a gear 86 mounted on a shaft 81, which is geared to the main drive shaft 51 by means of gears 88 and 86. The driving connection just described will rotate the entire cradle 15 in one direction to imparta twist to the cable 20.. If it is desired to twist the cable in the opposite direction, the shaft 84 may be shiftedto the position in which the shaft 81 is now. shown and the shaft 81 eliminated, whereby the cradle. 15 willybe rotated in the opposite direction. Any suitable chain-tightening device may be used for tightening the chain 83 on its sprocket 82 tocompensate for the. shifting of the shaft 64 from one position to another, as just described.

Rotatable on the outer surface of the bearing 11 (Figs. 3 and 5) is a brake drum 90, which has cooperating therewith a pair of brake shoes BI and 92 mounted intermediate the ends of pivoted brake arms 93 and 94, respectively. The brake arms are pivoted at 95' and 96 adjacent their lower ends and are connected at their upper. ends to a pair of sleeves 91 and 98, respectively. The sleeve 98 is held on the end of a brake rod 99 by means of a pair of nuts I00 and HM, and the sleeve 91 is slidable on the brake-rod 99, which, is threaded at its left end .(Figs. 4 and 5) to receive a threaded hand wheel I02, between which and the sleeve 91 there is interposed a coiled spring I03 encircling the brake rod 99. By tightening or loosening the hand :wheel I02, any desired tension may be applied to the brake drum 90 by means of the just-described mechanism.

The brake drum 90 carries a ring gear I04 which meshes with a gear I05 mounted upon a shaft I06 (Fig. 6) journalled in a bearing block =I01, which is fixedin an aperture I08 in the cradle 15. The bearing block I01 carries a normally unused idler gear] I09 having relatively wide teeth IIO,- which, as shown in Fig. 6, are out of mesh with the gear I05, which, as shown in Fig. 3, meshes with the ring gear I04. The idler .109 is mounted upon a stud shaft III, fixed in the bearing block I01, and serves no purpose when it is mounted as shown 'in Figs. 3 and 6. However, if the direction of twist imparted to the cable is reversed by changing the position of shaft 84, itis necessary to change the direction of drive of the takeup reel 4i to compensate for the change in direction of twist imparted to the cable. This may be accomplished by ree -versing the gears I05 and I09, that-is, turning them end for end on their respective shafts. This will cause the gear I05 tofall'into a plane where it is out of mesh with the gear I04, but in mesh with the teeth of the-gear I09 and the teeth H0 of the gear I09.will be in mesh with the ring gear I04. From the foregoing, it is believed to be .apparenttthat -regardlessv of the direction of twist imparted to the cable, the shaft I06 will be rotated in the same direction if the proper gear changes are made.

Carried by the shaft I06 (Fig. 6) on the end opposite the end on which the gear I05 is mounted, is a beveled gear I20, Which meshes with a pair of beveled gears I2I- and" I22 rotatable in a transmission housing I23. The gear I2I is 1 keyed to a shaft I24 and has formed on its left face (Fig. 6) a toothed clutch I25, which, as shown, is in engagement with a clutch member I26 slidably keyed to the end of a shaft I21, which is journalled in and freely rotatable in the gear I22. The clutch member I 26 has formed on its left end clutch teeth I26 adapted to cooperate with the teeth of a clutch I29 formed on the right-hand face (Fig. 6) of the gear I22 when the clutch member I26 is shifted to the left. (Fig. 6). The shaft I24 drives the takeup reel 4| through a roller chain I30, which meshes with a sprocket I3I secured to a collar I32 (Figs. 4 and 8). The shaft I24 is square in the area thereof surrounded by the collar I32 and is engaged by four rollers I33--I33, which are rotatable in the collar I32 so that the collar will slide freely along the shaft I24, as the cable 20 is distributed on the reel M. The sprocket I3I and its supporting collar I32 are mounted within a casing I34, fixed to a reel supporting frame composed of angle members I35, I36, I31 and I38. The angle members I35 and I36, as shown in Fig. 3, are irregular in shape and extend outwardly to theright from the angle members I31 andI38 to providea pair of vertically disposed surfaces I39 and I40 (Figs. 1 2, 3 and 4) on which reel journal blocks I44 and I45, respectively, are mounted. Rotatably mounted in the reel journal blocks I44 and I45 (Fig. 4) are a pair of bearings I46 and I41, respectively, having a reel supporting screw I48 mounted therein. The screw I46 is provided with an enlarged portion I49, which tapers, as shown at I50, to a smaller diameter, as shown at I5I. The tapered portion I50 of the screw I48 is adapted to engage in anaperture I52 in one head of the reel M and the portion I5I of the screw I48 is shown threaded at I53 to engage a correspondingly threaded portion in the bearing I41. The bearing I41 carries a finger I54 adapted to engage in an aperture I55 in the other head of the reel4I, whereby the reel 4! may be fixed to the bearings I46 and I41.

The right end (Fig. 4) of the bearing I41 has a sprocket I rotatable thereon and pro-j vided with a clutch face I6I, which is normally engaged by a cooperating clutch face I62 formed on a collar I63 formed integral with a hand Wheel I64. The collarv I63 is normally urgedto the left (Fig. 4) by a series of coil springs I65 seated in pockets in the collar and abutting a hand wheel I66. Adjacent their peripheries, the hand wheels I64 and I66 have radially extending plates I61 and I68 welded tothem and the hand wheel I66. has an'axially extending ring I69 fixed to it for supporting coil springs I19 in the space between adjacent plates I61 and I66, wherebythe two hand wheels will be urged fore the sprocket 1169 will resilientlydrive the Suitable mark-v bearing I I'I torotate the reel 4|. irigs=arer placed on the hand wheel I64 and 169 and the. tension of the brake shoes 9I and92 on the brake drum 99 maybe regulated-to drive the ,takeup reel M under the desired tension, v

as indicated by the displacement of the hand wheel I 99 with respect to the. hand wheel I66.

Mounted in the bottom end of the casingISl, as shown in Figs. 4 and 8, is a block I89 having the configuration atxitssleft end. (Fig. 8)

of halfa nut, that is, half a thread is formed in the block l99 to cooperate with a screw I9I.

The block. I89 isfprovided with a handle I92, whereby it may be withdrawn'from engagement with the screw ,I9I provided a spring-pressed plunger I83 has been with-drawn from a. socket I84 in the block I99. The screw I8I is journalled in a side member I99 and a side member. I86 of the cradle l5 and carries on its left end (Fig. 4) a gear ml, which meshes with a gear I88mounted on the shaft I21.

Y The side members at and I86 of the cradle 15 are joined togetherat their upper ends by an anglemember I'il and they are joined together at their bottom ends by another angle member I12. The angle members III and 112 have track members I73 and H4, respectively, fixed to them for-engagementzby rollers I'I5-Il5 rotatably mounted on the angle members I31 and I38 of the reel supporting frame. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, two rollers I75 engage a horizontal surface of the track member I13, two rollers I15 engage a vertical surface of the track member I13, two rollers engage a verticalsurface of the track member I14, and two? rollers engage a horizontal surface of the track member I14. From the foregoing, it is believed to be apparent that the reel supporting frame maybe slid back and forth on the cradle I5 to move the reel 4| mounted thereon back and forth. with respect to the guide member 19 to distribute the cable 29 on the reel 4|. I

As shown in Fig. 6, the shaft I21 is connected through the clutch member I26 tothe gear I2I, whereby thereel supporting frame will be driven to the left (Fig. 4).. and this'drive of the reel supporting frame to the left (Fig. 4) I will continue until the angle member I36 engagesa col- 19.! I99 fixed to a shaft I9I and slidable in. the

transmission housing I29 The collar I99 is pinned to the shaft I9I at I92 and a correspondin collar I93 is pinned to the shaft I9I at I94.-

The collars I99 and I93 have pockets I and I99 formed therein in which coil springs. I91 and I98; respectively, are seated. The coil springs I91 and I98 abut a shoulder I99formed on a sleeve 299, which is slidable on the shaft I91. The

shoulder I99 has an extension 29I formed thereon which enters a slot 292 in a ringf293 fixed tothe clutch member I26. A pair of latches 294 and 295 (Fig. 7) cooperate with theshoulder I99 to hold it in either of two positions, being urged into engagement with the shoulder by coil springs 296 and 291, respectively.

The just described mechanism comprises what is commonly known as a fload and fire mechanism, which will hold the clutch member I26 in engagement with either the clutch face I25 or 3 the clutch face I29, into which positions the clutch member will be moved by the snap action of the springs I 91 or I98 when the collar I99 or the collar I93 engages the angle members I 35 or I36. When the clutch member I26 is moved from engagement with the clutch face I 25 intoengagement: with :the :clutch trace 129,- the (11-.

rection of rotation of thescrew I8I will be re-* versed and the screw will. continue to rotateiiin I said reversed direction until the load andfire mechanisrn is reversed again by the' forcing of the shaft, I9! inwthe opposite direction, whereupon the direction of rotation of the screw will again'be reversed and it will drive in the direc tion originally described to thus distribute the cable 29 on the reel 4|. I

It is believed that "the followingbrief descriptionof. the mode of operation of the mechanism will aid materially in an understanding'of th mode ofoperation of the apparatus.

' After fav groupof wires and spacers have been assembled, they will be fed throughthe rollers Y 49, vhich will hold the assembled 'wires and cables from rotation at the point where the rolls engage the wires and spacers; and as theassembled wires and spacersiare drawn onto the takeup reel M, they will have the layers of tape applied to them and will betwisted. In starteither using the shaft 84 in the positionin which it is shown or by transferring it to the position now occupied by the shaft 81, providingthe necessary adjustments are: made on the chain I tightener, not shown. The reel cradle rotates within the bearing 11 and as the cradle rotates,

it carries with it the shaft I99 having the'gear I95 in mesh with the ring gear I94. The ringgear I94,.-being fixed to the brake drum 99;will

be permitted to rotateonly when there is a pre determined tension on the cable 29 and there-" I fore, if the brake shoes 9! and 92 were released from the brake drum 99, thebrake drum and ring gear I94 would be free to rotate and no motion would be imparted to thetakeup reel Mf However, when brakepressure is applied to the.

brake. drum 99, there will be a speed variation between the drum 99 and the cradle I5, whereby the gear I95 will proceed-to walk about the ring gear. I94, rotating the shaft I96 and rotating" the takeup reel through the beveled gears I29 and I23, shaft I24 .and chain I39 driven from the shaft I 24.

-.The tension under whichthe cable is drawn. through the machine will be indicated by the-1v relative. displacement of the hand wheels I69 and I66 in the following manner.

The reel ti" is drivenby the sprocket I69, the clutch face I9! of which meshes with the clutch face I92 on the collar I93 formed integral with the hand wheel I 64, which. is in turn connected through the springs. I19 to the hand wheel I96 fixed to the bearing I41, on which the reel is secured. As tension increases on the cable being drawn through the machine, the hand wheels I69 and 66 will be displaced relative to each other as the t I 701 the displacement will be the measure of the u amount of tension on the cable, and when this ension has increased to the desired amount, the

springs I19 are compressed and the amount of brakeshoes 9| and 92 may be released to permit the brake-drum 99 to rotate withfthat predetermined amount of displacement between the hand wheels I64 and I66.

[the framework, comprised of the angle members I35, I36, I31 and I38, which carrythe reel, will be shifted across the cradle I5 by the distributing mechanism, which includes the screw IBI and the block I80, and as the reel moves across the cradle during the rotation of the cradle, the cable 20- will be distributed across the drum of the reel from one head thereof to the other, the direction of rotation of the screw I8I being reversed each time one of the collars I90 or I93 is pushed against its associated angle member I36 or I 35, with sufficient force to snap the latches 204 or 205 into and out of latching engagementwith the shoulder I99. Y

Although a specific'embodiment of theinvention has been described herein, it will be understood that the constrction shown is subject to numerous modifications and that applicants invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cable-making apparatus, a takeup reel, a cradle for supporting the reel, means for'rotating said cradle to impart a twist to the cable, a drive shaft carried by said cradle for driving the reel, a differential brake mechanism for rotating said shaft, and compressible means between the shaft and the reel for transmitting motion from the shaft to the reel.

2. In a cable-making apparatus, a takeup reel, a cradle for supporting the reel, means for rotating the cradle, means for rotating the reel with respect to the cradle comprising a reel driving member, a driven member associated with said reel driving-member, and a compressible means interposed between said members for transmitting motion from the driven member to the driving member to rotate the reel.

3. In a cable-making apparatus, a takeup reel, a cradle for supporting the reel, means for rotating the cradle, means for rotating the reel with respect to the cradle comprising a reel driving member, a driven member, resilient means interposed between said members, and a differential device for driving said driven member.

, 4. In a cable-making apparatus, a takeup reel, a cradle for supporting the reel, means for rotating the cradle, means for rotating the reel with respect to the cradle comprising a reel driving member, a driven member, resilient means interposed between said members, and a differential device actuated by the cradle for driving said driven member.

5. In a cable-making apparatus, a takeup reel, a rotatable cradle for supporting said-reel, means for rotating the reel with respect to the cradle comprising'a differential braking devicev for driving the reel, and compressible means interposed between the reel and the braking device-for transmitting motion from the braking device to the reel.

6. In a cable-making apparatus, a rotatable cradle, a reel rotatably mounted in'said cradle, a pair of bearings for rotatably supporting the reel in the cradle, means for driving the reel comprising a pair of wheels, means for resiliently interconnecting said Wheels, and a differential braking device actuated by the rotation of the cradle for actuating one of said wheels.

'7. In a cable-making apparatus; a rotatable cradle, a reel rotatably mounted in said cradle, a pair of bearings for rotatably supporting the reel in the cradle, means for driving the reel comprising a pair of wheels, means for resiliently connecting said'wheels, a differential braking device actuated by the rotation of the cradle for actuating one of said Wheels, and means for adjusting the differential braking device to maintain said wheels in a predetermined relation during their rotation.

8. In a cable-making apparatus, a rotatable cradle, a reel rotatable in said cradle, .a floating ring gear, means for retarding rotation of said ring gear, a gear movable bodily about the ring gear, and a resilient reel driving member driven by said lastmentioned gear when the ring gear is retarded.

9. In a cable-making apparatus, a rotatable cradle, areel rotatable in said cradle, a floating ring, gear, means for retarding rotation of said ring gear, a gear movable bodily about the ring gear, a resilient reel drivingmember driven by said last mentioned ear when the ring gear is retarded, and means for adjusting said retarding means.

10. In a cable-making apparatus, a rotatable cradle, a reel rotatable in said cradle, a floating ring gear, means for retarding rotation of said ring gear, a gear movable bodily about the axis of the ring'gear, a resilient reel driving member driven by said last mentioned gear when the ring gear is retarded, and means for adjusting said retarding means to effect the resilient means a predetermined amount.

11. In a cable-making apparatus, the combinationwith'a rotatable cradle, a reel rotatable in said cradle, and means for rotating said cradle, of a differential braking device, a shaft adapted to be driven by said braking device, and a resilient means interconnecting said shaft and the reel.

12. In a cable-making apparatus, the combination with a rotatable cradle, areel rotatable in .said cradle, and means for rotating said cradle, of

a differential braking device, a shaft adapted to be driven by said braking device, a resilient means interconnecting said shaft and the reel, said resilient means comprising a rotatable reel supporting member, a hand Wheel fixed to said member, a second hand Wheel cooperating with the first hand wheel, and a plurality of springs interconnecting the hand wheels.

- LILA T. JOHNSON, Executria: of the Estate 0 Fred V. Johnson, De-

ceased. 

